


Awakening

by meletes_muse



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, Community: femslash100, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-14 16:54:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 1,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15393216
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meletes_muse/pseuds/meletes_muse
Summary: After an unfortunate encounter during a tough mission, Helen develops amnesia.A series of drabbles written for the femslash100 fanfic tropes challenge prompt “amnesia”. Written from alternating Helen/Charlotte POVs.





	1. Chapter 1

Helen winces as morning sunlight filters through her bedroom curtains. Her head aches terribly. Perhaps she shouldn’t have indulged in that last glass of champagne. But she’d been having such wonderfully good time. Her cheeks flush at the remembrance of her and John’s outlandish behaviour in front of the others. 

A light kiss presses against her neck.

“ _John_.”

Helen can hear the wanton desire in her voice as she pushes back into his strong tors—

She freezes.

The body pressed flush against hers is not John.

She tries to flee, sheets tangling about her legs as she makes for the door, eyes widening when she turns to look at her bedmate. A blush blooms up on her cheeks as she takes in the slender, naked woman, gloriously so, a woman whose dark, messy curls betray a night of little sleep.

John has always been _adventurous_ ; and Helen has always been _curious_ (and resourceful in matters of reading) _,_  but she cannot fathom John’s agreeing to a tryst of this nature (and she cannot remember a thing after the last guests retired. Not one thing).

“Helen?” The woman rises, unembarrassed by her nudity. “Are you alright, honey?”

 

  

 


	2. Chapter 2

“Helen?” Charlotte approaches slowly as her girlfriend grips the sheet self-consciously around herself. “Helen, it’s me, Charlotte.”

Helen’s eyes are wide, accusatory. Though if Charlotte didn’t know better she’d say she was blushing. 

“Who are you?” Helen demands. Her accent’s sharp, but Charlotte can tell she’s flustered, “And what are you doing in my bedchamber?”

She’s not sure what to say, really. The gunk that Helen was sprayed with on their last mission was clearly more potent than they’d thought. Thankfully, Charlotte knows the effects aren’t permanent. 

Her first instinct is to comfort Helen, but she clearly has no idea who Charlotte is. And as she continues to cling to the sheet wrapped tightly around herself, Charlotte begins to wonder if she knows _when_ she is.

“You’re at the Sanctuary, Helen.”

“No.” But she looks uncertain as she takes in her antique four-poster bed. 

“Maybe I should get Will?”

Helen shakes her head as though to clear it. “Where is John?” 

“Um... John’s not here right now.”

Charlotte takes a small step toward her. 

“Helen,” she tries again, “do you know what year it is?”

Helen draws herself up to her full height. “Why, it’s 1886, of course.”

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

“Is this alright?” Helen asks as she emerges from the bedroom. The heeled shoes feel terribly odd without stockings, and she’s a little unsteady on her feet. 

As Charlotte looks up from her seat in the hallway, a small smile graces her lips. Helen blushes under the scrutiny. She had hesitated when picking out the trousers, but there were enough in the wardrobe that she feels reasonably confident she wears them often.

“You look...” Charlotte clears her throat as she stands. “You look great.” Helen is not entirely sure that is what the other woman meant to say, but any further thought on the matter is forestalled when her companion asks, “Do you feel like a walk outside?”

“It would be my pleasure.” Helen offers an awkward curtsy. 

Charlotte quickly masks another smile, and Helen is again left feeling uncertain. 

She’s soon to be married, of course, but in the presence of this woman she feels like a schoolgirl. She loves John, truly she does, but she is far more intrigued by Charlotte than is seemly, under the circumstances. Though it seems that here, _now_ , there is nothing in the least bit scandalous about it. 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

It’s a sunny day, so they settle on a bench in the Sanctuary’s garden. Helen’s hair is pinned up in what must be a Victorian style. Her outfit’s not exactly conventional, but it’s off-beat enough that she wouldn’t look out of place at New York fashion week.

Helen’s softer somehow, but she’s also sharper round the edges, and Charlotte knows she’ll have to tread carefully. 

“This must be weird.” 

Helen’s lips quirk upwards slightly. “It is rather odd, yes.” 

She turns to Charlotte. “You say I’m the head of a number of Sanctuaries?”

“Yeah, but you run this one yourself. With Will’s help — and the rest of the team.”

Helen considers this. “And who is Will, exactly?”

They’ve already met Kate and the Big Guy, but Will’s on a conference call with Declan. Charlotte just hopes this all sorts itself out before the other heads of house notice. 

“He’s your protégé.”

Helen’s eyes widen. 

“Uh, huh.” Charlotte grins. “It’s a coveted spot.”

“Well,” Helen shakes her head in disbelief. But Charlotte doesn’t miss the look of intense satisfaction in her eyes, “things have certainly changed.” 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

Helen’s charmed when Charlotte walks her to her bedchamber that evening before excusing herself to sleep in one of the guest rooms. 

“Wait, please,” she places a soft hand on the other woman’s arm. When she dressed earlier it was obvious that the room was usually occupied by two. “You sleep here?” 

Charlotte gives her a searching look. “Yeah, but don’t worry about it. I don’t expect you to want to share right now. As I said, this must be weird. I —”

Helen leans in and silences her with a soft kiss. 

When she draws away, Charlotte’s cheeks are flushed. “You know,” Charlotte smiles softly, brushing a stray curl behind Helen’s ear, “When we first met, I interrupted _you_ with a kiss.” 

Helen feels herself blush at Charlotte’s intimate tone. “That sounds terribly bold of you, Miss Benoit.”

The woman’s answering smile is shy, but she raises her hands in mock defeat. “What can I say? You have that effect on me. Besides, look who’s talking.” 

Helen swallows. John pays her compliments daily, but this is new and oh so very exciting. “It seems the feeling is mutual.” 

Charlotte’s smile falters. “I hope so.” 

“Charlotte,” Helen says, “I know it is.”

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

“Dear Lord,” Helen says when she wakes up the next morning. 

“Hi,” Charlotte smiles at her. “We weren’t sure how long the venom would take to wear off.”

”Dear Lord,” Helen says again, turning to face her, “that was odd.”

”You remember?” 

Helen’s cheeks color slightly, and she bites her lip. “I remember kissing you, and insisting you stayed all night to hold my hand.” She shakes her head. “Thank you for being there, darling.” 

“Of course,” Charlotte shrugs. “It’s just what you do, I guess...”

Helen swallows, “When you love someone?”

Charlotte gapes. Helen’s not afraid to show affection, but there’s never been any talk of love.

“I guess,” she pretends to consider it, though she knows she’s grinning, “when you love someone.”

Helen scoots forward on the bed, cupping Charlotte’s cheek in her hand. “I do love you, darling.” 

Charlotte can’t resist teasing, “It seems the feeling’s mutual.” 

“Dear Lord,” Helen laughs, “I’m never going to live this down am I?”

“You _did_ call me Miss Benoit.”

“Mmm,” Helen’s tone’s seductive, “but you liked it, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” Charlotte’s breath’s short, and she pushes Helen onto her back to welcome her home properly, “yeah, I did.” 

 

FIN 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
